IPPLEPEN PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of Parish Council Meeting held at Ipplepen Millennium Centre
On Tuesday 3rd December 2024 at 7.15pm
The following minutes will be considered for approval at the next Parish Council Meeting and may be subject to change until that time
In attendance:
Coun.Palethorpe (Chairman) Coun.Mrs.Calland
Coun.Carnell (Vice Chair) Coun.Rattlidge
Coun.Farrow Coun.Latter
Coun.Burnham Coun.Ranjit
Miss Cat Freston – Parish Clerk
Coun.Dewhirst – County Councillor
Coun.Palethorpe District Councillor
No Members of the public present
112) APOLOGIES – Coun.Smith, Coun.Jerwood (Apologies approved unanimously)
113) DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST – No declarations of Interest.
114) MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING
Minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 5th November 2024, were approved and signed by the Chairman.
115) PUBLIC QUESTION TIME – No Comments
116) CORRESPONDENCE AND OUTSIDE BODIES – Parish Clerk
- An email has been received from a Parishioner, thanking the Parish Council for the new seating that has been installed in the bus shelter opposite Cooke Drive, and all the work they do for the Village.
- The Parish Council arranged for Sandbags to be dropped off during Storm Bert, and the resident has emailed asking if the Parish Council can write to DCC regarding the drainage in the footpath at the back of Luscombe Close. Action – Dewhirst will follow this up and liaise with the resident.
OUTSIDE BODIES: –
Coun.Rattlidge attended the Register of Interests and Code of Conduct training session at Teignbridge District Council on 21st November 2024.
Coun.Rattlidge attended the police advocate seminar on teams on Monday 2nd December 2024.
117) DISTRICT & COUNTY COUNCILLOR’S REPORT
Queen Street Update
The Queen Street upgrade continues to make significant progress, with noticeable improvements already benefiting the community.
Widened footpaths and reduced traffic have enhanced safety and accessibility, particularly for pedestrians, wheelchair users, and families.
Work is on track for substantial completion by the end of November, with a temporary pause in major activities over the festive period to minimise disruption.
Remaining works, such as seating and greening installations, will resume in January 2025. The project aims to be fully completed early next year.
Market Square and Market Hall Update
Progress on the Market Square and Market Hall redevelopment is also advancing. The mini market hall at the former Post Office has been successfully opened, with positive feedback from traders and visitors.
- Public Toilets: The upper mezzanine toilets in the Market Hall have been closed due to electrical disconnections required for construction. Temporary alternatives have been arranged at Cricketfield Road car park and the Bank Street clocktower.
- Future refurbishment plans include relocating the toilets to the ground floor of the Market Hall, improving accessibility and eliminating the need for a lift.
- Overall Project Timeline: The Market Hall refurbishment and Market Square redevelopment are scheduled for completion by early 2026, ensuring a modern, functional space for traders and the community.
Budget Update
The Government has capped District Council tax increases at 2.99% for 2025/26.
For Teignbridge District Council, this means an increase of £5.94 per year for the average household. However, residents should be aware that the overall council tax rise will be significantly higher due to other precepts:
- Devon County Council Precept: A 2.99% increase plus an additional 2% specifically for social care and children’s services, both critical areas of need across the county.
- Police and Crime Commissioner Precept: This remains uncapped, allowing for a further increase.
Overall, the combined council tax rise for 2025/26 is expected to be in the range of 5.5% to 6.5%.
The financial pressures on TDC are compounded by reductions in central government funding, with details of the funding settlement expected on 19th December. Additional factors impacting the budget include:
- National Insurance Increase: The recent increase in employers’ National Insurance contributions will cost TDC approximately £500,000 annually. While the government has pledged to reimburse this cost for directly employed staff, contracts such as the grounds maintenance contract are not included. Contractors will need to absorb these costs, which may result in reduced staffing and potential service delivery impacts.
Public WC Consultation
TDC is currently conducting a consultation on the future provision of public WCs across the District. Fortunately, Ipplepen toilets IN Clampitt Road and the Recreation Ground are owned and maintained by the Parish Council and are therefore unaffected by this process.
As we approach 2025, the progress on key projects such as Queen Street and Market Square demonstrates the positive changes underway. I will continue to provide updates as developments unfold, including any new announcements from the government or impacts on our Ipplepen community.
Thank you for your support throughout 2024, it is really appreciated.
David Palethorpe
Cllr for Ipplepen – Teignbridge District Council
County Report – Coun.Dewhirst
The next phase of the Teign Estuary Trail is set to take a step forward thanks to a combined investment of £1.45 million being made by Devon County and Teignbridge District Council.
The funding will go towards the design and land purchase for the three-kilometre (km) section of the trail between the Passage House Inn at Kingsteignton, and Bishopsteignton. Devon are providing £900,000 of the funding, with Teignbridge District Council providing £550,000.
The scheme will connect the two communities with a safe route along the estuary, avoiding the busy A381.
The trail will run over open land parallel to the Teign Estuary and north of the railway. The route will include a number of raised boardwalks to cross water courses leading to the estuary, and one subway to navigate existing infrastructure.
Both councils have previously worked together on the project committing £200,000 each to submit a planning application for this section of the trail (as well as onto Broadmeadow junction on the edge of Teignmouth) which was approved in 2021.
Design work is already underway, and in the coming years land inspections and surveys will be carried out. However, the construction work will require external funding.
The ‘Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority Regulations 2024“, a ‘statutory instrument’, has been laid in Parliament, paving the way towards the creation of the Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority.
The Regulations will be debated in in the House of Commons and the House of Lords. When they are signed by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Angela Rayner MP, under powers delegated by the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023, the Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority (CCA) will come into being.
The CCA will make decisions about the powers and funding devolved from Whitehall to Devon and Torbay through the deal that was agreed in January this year.
This legislation is an important precursor to the establishment of the Combined County Authority for Devon and Torbay. All the District Councils in Devon will continue to work together and with partners to ensure that the benefits for local communities arising from the transfer of powers and resources are maximised, including in relation to the forthcoming Devolution White Paper for England.
Devon’s flood risk team works closely with the Environment Agency and district councils to review the communities and properties in Devon which were flooded during Storm Bert.
Strong winds and heavy rain battered Devon recently and reports were received that approximately 40 properties suffered internal flooding.
The results of the investigation, which will be published in the New Year, will help to identify which properties and areas would most benefit from future resilience measures, in line with other priorities, workload and funding opportunities.
Initial investigations, which includes feedback from communities, shows that in the communities where we have delivered flood schemes in recent years, such as Ivybridge, Sidmouth, Axminster, Uplyme and Stokeinteignhead, flooding was prevented.
The number of flooded properties across the county would certainly have been much higher without these essential flood improvements.
In Modbury for instance, approximately 4 million litres of water was held behind a specially constructed dam without which many properties would have been flooded.
The dam was part of a £1.1million scheme delivered in 2019 and it helps control the flow of water through the drainage system in Modbury town centre by storing excess water behind it and redirecting the flow of water from certain fields.
Devon’s Cabinet has approved a scheme which will deliver up to 2,000 new Electric Vehicle (EV) chargers across the county. Cabinet approval of the scheme follows the Government award, from the Department for Transport’s Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund, of more than £7m funding to deliver thousands of new publicly accessible EV charging points up to 2030. The award was one of the largest in the country.
This announcement follows the adoption of the Devon Electric Vehicle Charging Strategy last year which highlights that a key barrier to the uptake of EVs in Devon is the availability of suitable charging infrastructure.
The LEVI project is set to begin in 2025 and will significantly expand on an already growing network of on and off-street EV charging points in Devon.
Two schemes we’ve led have already delivered over 300 charging point sockets across Devon and Torbay.
These have been provided through both external funding and private sector investment in partnership with East Devon, Exeter, Mid Devon, North Devon, Teignbridge, Torbay and West Devon Councils.
The scheme is good news for residents who want to be able to charge vehicles closer to their properties – the scheme includes trials of both charge points built into streetlighting columns and cable channels in the footway to avoid cables trailing across pavements.
Alistair Dewhirst – alistair.dewhirst@devon.gov.uk
118) BLACKSTONE CROSS – Nothing to report.
119) PLANNING – Coun.Farrow
District Councillor, Coun.Palethorpe is on the Planning Committee for TDC, so will not comment or vote on any Planning Applications discussed below.
To consider the following planning applications:
The Minutes of the Plans Meeting held on 20th November 2024 were approved and taken as read.
To consider the following planning applications:
24/01665/FUL – Proposed self build / custom build dwelling and associated landscaping including demolition of existing single storey structures and garage at 4, Clarendon Road.
Comment: Coun.Farrow proposed that Ipplepen Parish Council have no objections in principle to this application, however,
- It would be contrary to Policy 4A (iv) to the design code set out in the Neighbourhood Plan as not compatible with the existing street scene.
- The siting of the proposed plot infringes on the proposed boundary of number 4.
- Would need compliance with the recommendations of South West Water in respect to the drainage across the proposed site.
- Possible loss of amenity’s by the adjacent property (Number 6)
Seconded by Coun.Rattlidge (All unanimous).
24/01890/HOU – Alterations to roof, loft conversion to create bedroom and en-suite at Auvergne, Blackstone Road.
Comment: Coun.Farrow proposed that Ipplepen Parish Council have no objection to this application, Seconded by Coun.Mrs.Calland (All unanimous).
120) AMENITIES – Coun.Carnell
The Minutes of the Amenities meeting held on 12th November 2024, were approved and taken as read.
- Clampitt Road toilets – The Refurbishment is coming along well and the toilets will be opened when the work is complete.
- Ranjit who is the Snow Warden has collected the pedestrian gritter from Coun.Carnell.
- Cladding of toilet block at Rec Ground – Coun.Carnell is obtaining quotes.
- Play Park equipment – The intention is to review existing equipment to determine maintenance or replacement options.
- The Christmas tree has been put up in the Village, thank you to Coun.Ranjit, Coun,Carnell and Coun.Palethorpe.
- Mill Centre maintenance – Grass cutting has been carried out around the building and the brambles have been cleared and tree has been pruned.
- Overflow car park at Recreation Ground. A Memorandum was agreed between the Parish Council and IpplePlanet and agreed they could plant two trial trees to see how they grow.
Coun.Palethorpe has proposed that the Memorandum with IpplePlanet is suspended with immediate effect and a letter will be sent to them, notifying them of the Parish Council’s decision. Seconded by Coun.Farrow (All Unanimous).
121) SKATE PARK
The Parish Council have agreed to start the Skate Park. The Parish Council will liaise with Maverick Skate Park. Coun.Rattlidge proposed the Parish Council commit a maximum of £50,000 on the understanding that Maverick will help the Parish Council receive match funding. Seconded by Coun.Mrs.Calland (All unanimous).
122) FINANCE & PERSONNEL – Parish Clerk
Balance No. £ 51,260.59
MCMC – Reimbursement for electricity £ 38.25
Mill Centre – Rent £ 55.00
DCC – Urban Grass Cutting 24/25 £ 1,460.00
Balance £ 52,813.84
Invoices Received and Approved: £ 28,236.38
Balance: £ 24,577.46
Reserve Account Balance £ 195,767.54
£ 220,345.00
Items to discuss: Nothing to discuss
123) KERSWELLA CARE
Kerswella volunteer drivers will have completed 19 individual transport requests for 7 Ipplepen residents.
The Ipplepen drivers also completed 2 transport requests for residents of Abbotskerswell and 8 for Denbury.
The total transport requests for November were 83 – there were 9 cancellations, usually due to appointment changes/NHS cancellations.
The Grief Café will continue into the New Year with Celebrant Charles Russell helping Brian and Carole
The Digital Drop-In continues to be of interest. Mark and Peta were flat-out until 12pm again.
The Renegades are now the Trailblazers – this month’s talk was given by Charles Russell. Attendance was down a little from last month, 20 attended.
In December rather than a meet we will be taking a coach to Endsleigh Garden Centre.
On the 19th November two minibuses transported 21 Ipplepen residents to the Smuggler’s Inn at Dawlish for lunch. We hope to have similar trips starting in January next year.
We had a Free Christmas Lunch on Friday 29th November at the Hub – with the Benita Project. We had over 60 attend plus some fantastic volunteers who looked great in their Christmas attire!
As always, there is always a need for more volunteer drivers in the Ipplepen area.
124) HIGHWAYS & RIGHTS OF WAY
The Parish Council would like to say thank you to Simon Birbeck for clearing the large flood at the cross roads in Conniford Lane.
125) PUBLIC QUESTION TIME – No comments
126) To note the date of the next PC meeting: Tuesday 7th January 2025 at 7.15pm
Meeting Closed at 21.01pm